Developer Travis Barker has created a service station and soon-to-be-built fast food restaurant on the corner of Thurgoona Drive and Table Top Road and when approval was granted in late April he agreed to make a financial contribution towards the community space on the site.

But, his share of the works totalling $327,000 is subject to work starting within six months on the nominated site.

The council this week voted 4-3 to defer awarding a tender to the sole applicant for the works, Enviro Culture Services, pending further discussions with council about “potentially better outcomes” due in part to negative feedback to the plan from Thurgoona Community Action Group.

Co-chair Bridget O’Connor raised her concerns directly with councillors.

“Quite frankly an eight-year-old child could have come up with something more creative,” she said.

“The Thurgoona community has been landed with a slab of cement on an unsafe, busy roundabout that supports an off-the-shelf McDonalds and servo.

“This is a missed opportunity.”

Ms O’Connor said the final design was a major downgrade from original plans for the Thurgoona-Wirlinga growth corridor released in 2012.

But planning and environment department team leader, David Christy, spelt out the implications of a month-long deferment as successfully proposed by Cr Darren Cameron.

“In short, should council look to defer or relocate the space then council maybe required to return the contribution made by the developer,” Mr Christy said.

Part of Cr Cameron’s justification for deferment was two councillors, Graham Docksey and Murray King, not being present when division was clearly evident.

“A wise man once said sometimes you need to hit the pause button,” Cr Cameron said.

But, deputy mayor Amanda Cohn said it was the “worst possible” outcome.

“It means we have to defer the matter until the November council meeting where potentially that tender will be accepted and we will lose the developer contribution,” she said.

“If we are deferring we need to be clear whether we are deferring to request a re-design or are we deferring to request a relocation.”

Cr John Stuchbery voted against deferment, but described the plans as “profoundly underwhelming”.

“I don’t have the answer to the action group’s complaints,” he said.